Carton



Nov. 9, 1937; E. A. WALTHER CARTON Filed NOV. 15, .1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l R O N E V m BY 624W? A. f/a/fer W 6 D M ATTOlaEi? Nov. 9, 1937. E. A. WALTHER CARTON Filed Nov. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY 'dv xfl A. Wa/zfier ATTORNE Nov. 9, 1937.

' E. A. WALTHER CARTON Filed Nov. 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet s ATTORNEYS,

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES CARTON Edwin A. Walther, Sandusky, Ohio, assignor to The Hinde and Dauch Paper Company, Sandusky, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 15,1935, Serial No. 49,98!

. 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a ventilated carton,

usually to be made of corrugated board, and

particularly adapted for shipping a plurality of individual retailer containers of berries or other 5. small fruits. For example, the form illustrated is made up to hold twenty-four quart-size berry boxes in three tiers of eight each, all separated from one another by elements of the carton and.

each box adjacent two or more ventilating open- 10 ingsj Ventilation within the box as well as to the outside is provided.

A further important feature of my invention is the self-locking of the tops and bottoms by means which are readily reached intentionally from out- 15 side but which are entirely protected and concealed and cannot he accidentally undone. These locking means require no fastenings whatever,

such as staples, stitching, adhesive, or tape, anddo not interfere in any way with printing on the surface of the carton. Furthermore, the selflocking means do not necessitate any additional openings in the carton beyond those which are required for other purposes.

Another feature of my invention is the provision throughout the interior of elements which serve the double purpose of strengthening the.

entire carton against vertical compression, thus preventing any crushing strains or vertical pressure coming upon thefruits in the contained re- 30 tail packages, and also serve as separators for the retail packages.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particular- 35 ly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various structural 40 forms in which the principle of the invention may the plane 5-5,

ready for shipment.

Externally my improved carton comprises a box which has the top and bottom formed of two tuck flaps I, I, each preferably half the box width, and is provided with a considerable number of ventilation and other openings, such as 3, 5, I and 9, of various sizes and'shapes. Internally it is divided into a plurality of layers, three in the present embodiment, by horizontal pads II and I3, and is divided longitudinally and transversely by various elements which are vertically aligned with corresponding elements in other layers. All of the various interior pads and dividing partitions are cut with a sufficient quantity of ventilating openings, many of which allow circulation of air tomore than one compartment of the carton. The interior of the carton is thusdivided into a plurality of compartments, those at each end being preferably of a size to receive only a single retail container and those in the middle to receive two longitudinally adjacent retail containers, all of said containers being separated laterally and horizontally by elements of the cartonand many of them being also separated longitudinally by carton elements.

The top and bottom are identical in construction and can best beunderstood by reference to Fig. 1. Each tuck flap l comprises in detail a flap portion l5 and a tuck portion 11, between which a score line l9 runs lengthwise of the carton for bending. Only the portions l5 are visible when the carton is closed as in Fig. 6. At each end of the tucks I! there is a locking tab 2| scored along the edge 23 where it adjoins I1. The looking tabs begin only a slight distance from the score line H], just'suflicient to leave a space 25, approximately equal to the thickness of the material, and extend along theedge of II as far as maybe necessary for strength, about half way in the illustrated embodiment. The length of the tabs H in the direction of the fold line I9 is slight, in order that the tabs may be swung to and from locking position without striking th retail packages in the carton.

Two inner flaps are formed integral with each end and are bendable at 21 and 29 into a horizontal panel 3| and a vertical panel 33. These flaps are not quite half the box width, being sufliciently spaced along the central plane of the carton to permit entry of the two tucks II, as is best seen in Figs. 1 and 2 When the carton is to be closed, each of the tabs 2| is folded down onto its adjacent tuck l1, whereafter the two tucks II are pushed down through the slot between the respective panels 3l3l and 33-33. The depth of these tucks I1 isequal to the depth of the vertical partition panels 33, which is the distance from the top of the carton to the first horizontal pad l3, or from the bottom of the carton to the lower horizontal pad II, as the case may be. When the flaps I! are fully down, the edges of the tabs M which are next to the cuts 25 are sufficiently clear of the panels 3| to allow the natural resiliency of the corrugated board to spring the tabs out approximately to the position indicated in dotted lines at 2|" in Fig. 1, thus locking the tucks l'l beneath the panels 3!, and so looking the lid, or bottom as the case may be, shut. These panels 3| are thus in turn held down beneath the top l5, so that so long as the tabs M are sprung out to any degree past the slot 34, the various top elements will all remain securely interlocked. f r

The openings 1 in each endinear the top of the carton serve the dual purpose of han'd' holds and of permitting finger accessg'to-th abs 2!, whereby the latter can be'turned'back against the tucks IT to allow these tucks' toibe u d out and so open the carton.

The members 33 act as part of load-carrying structure and also spacers or partitions betweentit,

packed retail containers. 'Ihe-addit1 na interior structure of the carton compris longitudinal pads, such as 35, preferabl chicknessfor strength, as showmand ra verse, 1

vertical pads, such as 31, interlocking ii: the usual manner by half-depthsldt 4i, and extending the full width oft 35 and the panels 33 are in vertic with the transverse vertical pads 31 A rior cellular subdivision may be carried a's an as desired.

spaced that every partition is notche every retail container in the carton.

The horizontal pads are similarly ve ilated,

by notched openings, such as 45, alongtheir edges, placed according to the same governing titioning elements, these holes 41 being conveniently so sized that each hole gives in effect an opening into each of the four angles at each partition intersection.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a shipping container particularly adapted for construction out of corrugated board, which combines interlocking features peculiar to itself with spacing and ventilating features hitherto known in the art, all in such a manner that a minimum of loose pieces are required, and a considerable part of the material used serves multiple functions for strengthening the carton, spacing the contents, and locking the carton, all without unnecessary duplication of parts.

The carton is also characterized by the features of symmetry and of economy of material. In making up and assembling the entire carton, the only fastening required, in addition to the box material itself, is along one vertical edge of the carton such as the edge 49, Figs. 5 and 6, where a flange Si is secured by means of staples 53 or other appropriate fastening to unite the sides of the carton into a continuous structure in the usual manner.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed. I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

' In a carton of the character described, in 1 ,combination, end-hinged panels laterally divided, [cover flaps substantially equal in width to the width of said divisions and adapted when folded to overlie said panels, a tuck on each of said flaps, said tucks being adapted to pass down to the flap-tuck bend line and having an edge substantially in the plane of said line.

2. In a carton of the character described, in

' combination, end-hinged panels laterally divided, fcov'er flaps substantially equal in width to the I I width of said divisions and adapted when folded mit free circulation of air, and preferably-so to overlie said panels, a tuck on each 01' said flaps, said tucks being adapted to pass down between the adjacent edges of said panels, lock tabs hinged to said tucks at a right-angle to the flaptuck bend line and having an edge substantially in the plane of said line, and access openings in the box ends adjacent said lock tabs.

EDWIN A. WAL'I'HER. 

